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Integrating Planning Decisions in the NEPA Process 

Planning Conference

South Charleston WVSouth Charleston, WV

September 16‐17, 2009

Planning and Environment Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL)

What is PEL?

• An APPROACH to transportation decision‐makingmaking 

• A PROGRAM promoting tools and resources

• Supports FHWA/FTA Planning and NEPA RegulationsRegulations

Elements of PEL

Benefits of PEL

• Address complex environmental challenges earlyAddress complex environmental challenges early and avoid environmentally sensitive natural resources

• Design projects that meet mobility, environmental and community needs

• Minimize potential duplication of efforts and data within the planning and NEPA processes

• Improved relationship with resource agencies

Feedback to FHWA

From Transportation From ResourceFrom Transportation Agencies:

From Resource Agencies:

• Need more guidance• Lack of examples

• Great opportunity

• Don’t have the resources• Mitigation?• Flexibility is good• Not another planning

• Early input may affect ability to make decisions later

• Need trainingNot another planning requirement

• Need training

• Need training

• How to be useful, provide valuable input

• Don’t understand their role

Where we are based on the GAO

• In progress too soon to tell• In progress, too soon to tell

• Several existing obstacles• Limited funding and staff at resource agencies 

• Limited incentives to contribute

• Unfamiliarity with the other’s processes• Unfamiliarity with the other s processes

• Opportunities recognizedI d j t t• Improved project management

• Weed out critical issues early

• Agencies informed and involved early• Agencies informed and involved early

GAO Report 08-512R

Integrated PlanningLand UseSystem

TransportationSystem

Water ResourcesSystem

Oth N t lOther Natural,Cultural Resource

Systems

Integrated Integrated ApproachApproachpppp

Opportunities to support multiple community goals and improve quality of life

Integrating Planning Requires a New Way of Doing BusinessBusiness

A focus on delivering transportation outputs

A focus on achieving multiple outcomes that are consistent with community and resource

From… To…

outputs are consistent with community and resource agency goals

An understanding of the effects of specific transportation modes 

An understanding of the transportation system and how that system fits within broader human and natural systems 

Separate planning based on who owns and operates infrastructure and services

Collaborative planning based on achieving sound system‐wide outcomes

Planning transportation and land use separately 

Planning transportation and land use concurrently and iteratively to achieve d ddesired outcomes

Transportation planning often does not recognize environmental factors

Environmental affects and advanced mitigation are considered duringrecognize environmental factors mitigation are considered during transportation planning

Regulatory RequirementsRegulatory Requirements

23 U.S.C. Parts 133 and 134 Require:

• Resource agency consultation

• Potential Environmental Mitigation• Potential Environmental Mitigation

Reflected in 2007 Planning Regulations 23 C F R § 45023 C.F.R. § 450

Consultation Requirementsq

Requires comparison of transportation plans with 

il blavailable

• State conservation plans or mapsor maps

• Inventories of natural or historic resources

• Consultation with Agency Experts STIP overlaid on map of 

conservation opportunity areas pp y

Environmental Mitigation Requirementsg q

Environmental mitigation activities are g“intended to be regional in scope, and may not p , ynecessarily address potential project‐level p p jimpacts.” ‐ 23 CFR 450.104

Environmental Mitigation Examplesg p

l lExample: 

South Carolina DOT –

Carolina Bays Ecosystem

Example: 

Mississippi DOT –

Deaton Ecological PreserveCarolina Bays Ecosystem Initiative 

Deaton Ecological Preserve

West Virginia Effortsg

• WVU research to identify potential wetland• WVU research to identify potential wetland mitigation sites for WVDOH

• Private wetland and stream banks• Private wetland and stream banks• Maintenance and expansion of Greenbottom Wetland Complex by Wal‐Greenbottom Wetland Complex by Wal‐Mart 

• WVDOH considering development of sole• WVDOH considering development of sole source wetland and stream mitigation banks

Tools & Methods 

for Integrating Transportation and Environmental Plans andand Environmental Plans and 

Data

Education and Trainingg

Provides agencies with a commonProvides agencies with a common understanding of one another’s roles 

b land responsibilities. 

Example: 

FHWA’ Li ki C ti &FHWA’s Linking Conservation & Transportation Planning Workshops

Formalizing Interagency Coordinationg g y

Interagency Agreements can foster the early andInteragency Agreements can foster the early and continuous involvement of environmental, regulatory and resource agencies in the planningregulatory, and resource agencies in the planning process. 

Sample Actions:• Establish interagency work groups or committees

• Develop MOUs/MOAs 

Interagency Coordination – An Exampleg y p

Example:Example:Transportation Resource Agency Consultation and Environmental Streamlining (TRACES)Environmental Streamlining (TRACES)

E lExample:Colorado’s Planning and Environmental Linkages P t i A tPartnering Agreement

Fund Resource Agency Positionsg y

Use of Federal‐aid and/or State funds to provide dedicated staffing at resource p gagencies

WVDOT Funded Positions

• State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)• State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)• Funding is provided to SHPO allowing WVDOH to set project priorities and to ensure expedited review 

• United States Army Corps of Engineers• Funding is provided for one full time Regulatory Specialistg p g y p

• This position works solely on WVDOH projects 

• Works with WVDOH to set project priorities

• These positions are generally utilized in the project review and clearance process

• A greater emphasis needs to be placed on their interaction in the planning process

Data and Information Sharing

What are theMulti-Species

HabitatConservation

PlansLand Use

Plans

Natural Heritage

Databases

What are the other plans or i t i th t

Wildlife ActionPlans Green

Plans

Transportationinventories that might be 

Plans

Special AreaManagement

GreenInfrastructure

Planning

Transportationplan

considered?g

Plans

HistoricResource

Inventories

WatershedPlans

Inventories

Additional WVDOH Efforts

• Blanket Approval for Threatened and Endangered• Blanket Approval for Threatened and Endangered Species

• WVDOH District Environmental CoordinatorsWVDOH District Environmental Coordinators clearance of minor projects

• Environmental GIS screening of ARRA projectsEnvironmental GIS screening of ARRA projects

• ASAP Bridge Program

• Historic Bridge Inventory• Historic Bridge Inventory

• Wetland and stream mitigation tracking

• Freshwater mussel survey program• Freshwater mussel survey program

Why NEPAssist?y

• NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act• NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act

• Simplify the Process for Review of EISs andSimplify the Process for Review of EISs and EAs

• Access to Core Geo‐Data

• Environmental Screening of all Proposed Projects 

• Streamlined Review Process

NEPAssist Overview

• Aides in the Development of NEPA• Aides in the Development of NEPA Documents

W b b d GIS T l N i i N• Web‐based GIS Tool … No training; No licensing; No desktop configuration; No d kt d t d ddesktop data needed

• Distributed Geo‐Spatial Application … via Web Services 

• Provides Easy Access to Consistent yDatasets

Select Study Area

Interactive Map

Add Data Layersy

Historic Imagery

February 1, 2004

June 26 2007June 26, 2007

Historic Imageryg y

February 1, 2003

February 1, 2004

Digitize Project Location

Preliminary EnvironmentalAssessment

A GIS tool that assists with the review process of E i t l I tEnvironmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments

EPA Region Specific Reports 

Region 2

Region 4

Data Drill Downs

NEPAssist Benefits

• Raises Important Environmental Issues at the Earlier Stages of Project Development

• Enhances Collaboration with Other• Enhances Collaboration with Other Agencies for the Review of NEPA Documents

• Provides Easy Access to Region Specific Geo‐Data

• Customized Regional Assessments• Streamlined Review Process

Linking Planning

and NEPA

Unifying Planning and NEPA Decision‐MakingUnifying Planning and NEPA Decision‐Making

How Can Planning Products be used in NEPA?g

Transportation Planning

NEPA Decision Making

Transportation Deficiencies & Needs

P bl S

Project Scoping

P & N dProblem Statement

Solutions Evaluation & Screening

Purpose & Need

Alternativesg

Preferred Solutions

Documentation

Preferred Alternative

DocumentationDocumentation Documentation

Using Planning Products in the Purpose and Needg g p

Transportation Planning

NEPA Decision Making

Transportation Deficiencies & Needs

P bl S

Project Scoping

P & N dProblem Statement

Solutions Evaluation & Screening

Purpose & Need

Alternativesg

Preferred Solutions

Documentation

Preferred Alternative

DocumentationDocumentation Documentation

Using Planning Products in the Development of Alternatives

Transportation Planning

NEPA Decision Making

Transportation Deficiencies & Needs

Problem Statement

Project Scoping

Purpose & NeedProblem Statement

Solutions Evaluation & Screening

Purpose & Need

Alternatives

Preferred Solutions

Documentation

Preferred Alternative

DocumentationDocumentation

Using Planning Products to Develop the Preferred Alternative

Transportation Planning

NEPA Decision Making

Transportation Deficiencies & Needs

Problem Statement

Project Scoping

Purpose & NeedProblem Statement

Solutions Evaluation & Screening

Purpose & Need

Alternatives

Preferred Solutions

Documentation

Preferred Alternative

DocumentationDocumentation Documentation

Documentation

Transportation Planning

NEPA Decision Making

Transportation Deficiencies & Needs

Problem Statement

Project Scoping

Purpose & NeedProblem Statement

Solutions Evaluation & Screening

Purpose & Need

Alternatives

Preferred Solutions Preferred Alternative

D iDocumentation Documentation

Documenting Planning‐Level Information for NEPA

h h l l lThere are three potential levels of documentation:

• Identification of issues or• Identification of issues or concerns that will need to be studied during NEPA

• Passing data or analyses from planning to NEPAfrom planning to NEPA

• Accepting planning decisions in NEPAdecisions in NEPA

Summaryy

PEL websitehttp://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp

PEL websitehttp://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp

Information Resources

Additional Resources:Additional Resources:

• PEL Website:                   http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp

Contacts:

Jason WorkmanFHWA –WV DivisionJason.workman@dot.gov 304‐347‐5271